THIEVES who have made thousands by selling on garden ornaments stolen from Ribble Valley gardens have now begun raiding graveyards.

Police today revealed that cemeteries had become easy targets for the thieves, and urged communities to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

Several thefts have been reported from graveyards in the Ribble Valley, most recently at Knowle Green Congregational Church, where ornate parts of a headstone were stolen in one raid, with a set of Victorian gates going in another.

Insp Bob Ford, of Clitheroe Police, said: "For a while we have had criminals stealing quite rare or expensive ornaments from people's gardens, often at night.

"Stealing from graveyards is an aggravating factor to the trend.

"There is a ready market for many of these ornaments, and we would urge anyone offered them in suspicious circumstances to ask where they have come from.

"Thefts of parts of dry stone walls still take place, and that is because the rocks can be sold on for use in gardens.

"We would ask people in villages to report anything suspicious to us immediately."

The Rev Rodney Nicholson, vicar of St Paul's Church in Clitheroe, said: "I think churches are seen as a soft option for thieves.

"We had £350 stolen from the vestry after a service the other week, and before Christmas someone broke into the vicarage, stole my keys and then broke into the church.

"The only thing we can do is work as a community to protect the churches and their grounds by always keeping an eye out.

"Even if people in communities aren't church-goers, they often have a fondness for the local church grounds."

Several thefts from gardens have also been reported in recent weeks.

A spokesman for the Blackburn Diocese said: "Thefts from graveyards are cynical and heartless, emotionally upsetting to bereaved relatives at a time when they need most support.

"Thefts of such heavy stone and gates would suggest organised criminals are acting for commercial gain.

"Churches of all Christian denominations are keen to work with the police to prevent this from happening."

Insp Ford added: "We believe people are travelling into the area to commit these crimes, often coming after dark.

"We would ask people who maybe use a route regularly, such as milk wagon drivers, to look out for anything suspicious."